County

DANE COUNTY–A Dane County Sheriff’s Deputy was injured in Festge County Park, located on Scherbel Road between Cross Plains and Black Earth, Thursday night when she responded to a call of a suspicious person in the park. 

In a social media post, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) said the suspect allegedly attacked the deputy with an “edged weapon.” She responded by firing her weapon during the altercation. The man then fled on foot. 

She was treated for non-life threatening injuries at a local hospital and released.

The sheriff’s office urged area residents to stay inside with their doors and windows locked on Thursday night during the incident.

Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene last night, and the sheriff’s department tweeted they were in the Town of Berry searching for the suspect at 10:40 p.m.

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–Homeowners in the Town of Middleton were asleep when someone broke into their home stealing a car and other items.

At 3:17 am, Dane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 7600 block of Westman Way Road for a home burglary.

The suspects were able to gain access to the garage with a garage door opener from an unlocked vehicle outside the home. Once inside the garage, they entered the home and took the keys to another vehicle. The suspects got away with a vehicle from the garage, along with the homeowner’s purse and credit cards. The residents were asleep in their beds at the time.

Anyone who may have witnessed this activity or has information is asked to call the Dane County tip line at 608-284-6900. 

The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind citizens that this activity has become all too common and securing vehicles and all doors is essential. Removing valuables and garage door openers from vehicles at is also recommend.

DANE COUNTY–Effective Oct. 8 at 12:01 a.m. and continuing through Nov. 5, Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) is issuing Face Covering Emergency Order #3. No changes were made to the existing face covering order, which requires that everyone age two and older wear a face covering or mask when in any enclosed building, where other people, except for members of the person’s own household or living unit, could be present.

The rate of cases in Dane County has risen rapidly since the Delta variant became dominant. On July 19, our weekly case rate per 100,000 was 22, and on Sept.19, our weekly case rate per 100,000 was 209. On Sept. 27, our weekly case rate per 100,000 was 157. While lower than in early September, Dane County remains in CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control) high level of community transmission.

CROSS PLAINS–The Cross Plains Village Board Monday approved a policy and funding for police officers will begin wearing body cameras.

Approving the BWC program leaves only the law enforcement in the City of Madison, the Villages of Maple Bluff and Blue Mounds, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Department without body cameras. Although Madison requires Special Weapons and Tactics teams to wear them and is beginning a BWC plot program for the northeast district.

Cost and staffing have been municipalities main reasons against using BWCs but the computer server Cross Plains replaced last year is the biggest cost component of the BWC program.

The cameras and charging equipment will cost about $8,000 which the Village Board has already moved from a 2022 capital request to a 2021 expenditure.

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–Town Board supervisors this week found Dane County’s zoning ordinance too ambiguous to act on a request for an in-home daycare in a secluded residential neighborhood.

The town board asked the county to interpret its zoning ordinance and decide whether Bright Beginnings Day School (BBDS) can operate a childcare facility for seven young children at a residence at 7069 Applewood Dr., in a subdivision adjacent to the Holy Name Catholic Center, off S. Junction Road.

The request has been met with unanimous opposition from the Applewood Hills Home Association which filed a lawsuit alleging the request doesn’t comply with the association’s restrictive covenants against businesses.

At Monday’s town board meeting, BBDS owner and town resident Sarah Tuttle, said she has operated childcare facilities for 18 years and the Applewood Drive location would the firm’s fifth in the area

CROSS PLAINS–In a year when it lost two Public Facilities employees to other Dane County communities, the Cross Plains Village Board has made staff compensation a priority in next year’s budget.

The village conducted a wage study in 2015 but since then wages have been a “back burner” matter Village Administrator Bill Chang said Tuesday.

At a June meeting, the board made employee pay a budget priority for 2022 and administration began studying what the village pays its staff compared to other municipalities in Dane County and statewide.

“Compared to cities and villages our size, about 4,000 population, we’re doing pretty well statewide. Compared to other communities around Madison, we’re lacking,” Chang said.

Not wanting to lose employees to its competitors, it comes down to determining who are the village’s competitors in the employee marketplace.

CROSS PLAINS–Utility regulators last week approved construction of a new well and improvements to an existing one in Cross Plains at an estimated cost $3.303 million.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) estimated that water rates would need to increase by 67 percent, based on a number of assumptions. The village filed a rate increase earlier this summer that would increase average water bills by $12 a month or, 40 percent, during the next two years. That request remains pending with the PSC.

The village currently has two wells but needs a third as there wouldn’t be enough water if one well became inoperable, according to a 2021 Department of Natural Resources report. Water demand is also expected to increase as three new residential subdivisions are being planned in the village.

DANE COUNTY–Effective Sept. 10 at 12:01 a.m., Public Health Madison & Dane County is issuing Face Covering Emergency Order #2. The Order is nearly identical to the current face covering order which requires that everyone age 2 and older wear a face covering or mask when in in any enclosed building where other people, except for members of the person’s own household or living unit, could be present.

The new order includes exemptions for actively playing a wind instrument that has a fabric bell cover, or similar cover, that acts as a face covering and while presenting or performing a religious, political, media, educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation as long as other spacing and vaccination requirements are met.

TOWN OF BURKE–The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Taylor R. Haberman, 24 of Burke. Haberman was last seen the evening of Sept. 6 and is believed to be driving a Gray Chevrolet Silverado truck with a license plate of LP2670. Haberman is a white male, approximately 5’8” tall and 150 pounds

Haberman did not tell anyone where he was heading but he is an avid waterfowl hunter and may have taken his truck and camo colored kayak to an area hunting location. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office asks the community and hunters to be on the lookout for Haberman and his truck and kayak.

If anyone has information or has had recent contact with Haberman, please contact the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 608-284-6900 or call 911.

Update: Taylor Haberman was found safe Wednesday morning. 

DANE COUNTY–Citing an increase in the seven-day average of cases in the county rising by 382 percent since July 19 and a higher level of transmission for the COVID-19 Delta variant, Public Health of Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) issued a mask mandate effective Aug. 19.

PHMDC Director Janel Heinrich said, “Many times during this pandemic, I have come before you and asked you to take action,” at a press conference Tuesday, and was doing so again.

The mandate requires those age two years and older to wear a mask when inside with individuals outside their household.